Pépinière d'entreprises Carco

What Pépinière d'entreprises Carco does

Pépinière d'entreprises Carco is a non-profit business incubator founded in 2001 and headquartered at 24 Rue Robert Desnos, Vaulx-en-Velin, within the Lyon metropolitan area. It operates from a 1,402 m² facility comprising 53 offices across five floors and two large meeting rooms, located in a Zone Franche Urbaine (ZFU) that confers fiscal advantages to qualifying hosted businesses. The incubator has hosted 229 companies over its lifetime, generating approximately 350 jobs and €26 million in cumulative turnover among resident entrepreneurs.

The core offering bundles three accommodation formats — Pépinière (full accompaniment, €250 HT/month minimum), Centre d'Affaires (post-3-year transition, €380 HT/month), and Coworking (€72 HT for 20 hours/month) — with personalised coaching, collective training across management/finance/marketing/AI topics, shared services (reception, reprography, meeting rooms), and lawyer consultations. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is physical and human-capital-driven, supported by a team of 5 staff. GTM is sales-led via institutional partnerships (France Travail, CCI Lyon Métropole, ADIE, Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and ecosystem referrals. The organisation is an association under French law (RCS Lyon 439 682 113), governed by a Board of Directors presided by Pierre Robin, with no external equity investors and funding drawn from public grants, EU ERDF, and earned rental income.

Name

Pépinière d'entreprises Carco

Legal name

ESPACE CARCO

Website

https://espace-carco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pépinière d'entreprises Carco is a non-profit business incubator in Vaulx-en-Velin, France, hosting early-stage entrepreneurs in a 1,402 m² facility across 53 offices, combining subsidised office rental, individual coaching, collective training, and shared services within a Zone Franche Urbaine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Incubation Services

NAICS

All Other Support Services (561990), Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Business incubator services
• Entrepreneurship support programs
• Shared workspace rental
• Startup coaching services
• Entrepreneurial training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vaulx-en-Velin

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Workspace Rental (Pépinière, Centre d'Affaires, Coworking): The company generates revenue primarily through renting furnished office space (bureaux de 16 à 35 m²) to young entrepreneurs under three formats: Pépinière (with full accompaniment), Centre d'Affaires (for businesses post-3-year period transitioning to independence), and Coworking (flexible shared space). Pricing ranges from €250 HT/month for Pépinière to €380 HT/month for Centre d'Affaires, plus €72 HT for 20-24 hours/month of coworking. Additional revenue comes from meeting room rental (€149 full day, €75 half-day), with all-inclusive pricing covering utilities, management fees, and common area maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Pépinière d'entreprises Carco is a French non-profit business incubator providing furnished office accommodation (16-35 m²), individual coaching, collective training, and shared services to new entrepreneurs and small businesses in Vaulx-en-Velin, Lyon metropolitan area. The organization operates three hosting formats (Pépinière, Centre d'Affaires, Coworking) targeting businesses at different stages of development, with additional offerings including meeting room rental, lawyer consultations, workshops, and free Extra-Muros accompaniment for entrepreneurs not physically hosted.

Product overview

Pépinière Carco is a business incubator offering an integrated ecosystem of physical workspace and support services for entrepreneurs. The core offering combines office accommodation (Hébergement Pépinière) with personalized coaching (Accompagnement Personnalisé) and collective training (Formations Collectives), supported by shared services (Services Mutualisés). Additional service tiers include Centre d'Affaires for post-incubator transition, Coworking for flexible needs, Extra Muros accompaniment for external entrepreneurs, lawyer consultations (Permanence Avocat), and meeting room rental. All services are delivered from a 1,400 m² facility with 53 offices and 2 large meeting rooms in Vaulx-en-Velin's urban free zone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hébergement Pépinière Furnished private office accommodation (16-35 m²) in a fibre-connected, secure building within a Zone Franche Urbaine (ZFU), targeting businesses within 3 years of creation. All-inclusive monthly rental from €250 HT covering utilities, furniture, secretarial services, telephone, meeting room access, coaching, training, expert consultations, and networking events. Maximum duration: 3 years.
• Accompagnement Personnalisé

Quantifiable outcome

• 229 entreprises accueillies since 2001, representing nearly 350 jobs and €26 million cumulative turnover
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers35 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AURA PEP'ScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURA PEP'S is the regional network of business incubators and incubators in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, active for over 10 years. As a member, Pépinière Carco gains access to a shared resource centre (market studies, sectoral information, document templates), free access to SYNINTRA platform for best practice sharing, joint training offers, participation in regional salons and events, and promotional support for hosted companies via social media and other communication channels.
• Ville de Vaulx-en-VelincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe city of Vaulx-en-Velin is a founding partner of the Pépinière Carco, established in 2001. The municipality provides ongoing support including access to the urban supervision centre (linked to the building's alarm system), economic development services, and local business network facilitation through the Vaulx-en-Velin Entreprises (VVE) association.
• Grand Lyon MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrand Lyon Métropole (now part of Lyon Métropole) was a founding institutional partner in the 2001 creation of the Pépinière Carco and continues to provide political and financial support for the incubator's operations and development.
• ENTPE (École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'État)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ENTPE (National School of Public Works of the State) was a founding institutional partner in 2001. It is represented on the Board of Directors (Nicolas Farges as Secretary) and contributes academic expertise and student talent to the incubator's ecosystem.
• École d'Architecture de LyonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lyon School of Architecture was a founding institutional partner at the creation of the Pépinière Carco in 2001, providing academic and professional connections to the architectural and design community.
• GirusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGirus was a founding partner of the Pépinière Carco and one of the first companies to install at the incubator in January 2001 (engineering consultancy). The company contributed to the initial founding vision and early tenant base.
• CCI Lyon Métropole (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Lyon Métropole Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) is a key institutional partner, providing access to its network of businesses, experts, and commercial services. CCI representatives (Hakim Smaili) participate as permanent invited members of the Board of Directors.
• France Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance Travail (formerly Pôle Emploi) partners with the Pépinière Carco to deliver 4 hours of monthly animations on entrepreneurship topics specifically for France Travail beneficiaries. This programme supports pre-creation entrepreneurs in structuring their business projects and is delivered by the incubator's chargée d'accompagnement.
• ADIEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADIE is a microcredit association supporting entrepreneurship for people excluded from traditional banking. Listed as a partner, it provides financing pathways for entrepreneurs hosted at the Pépinière who face difficulties accessing conventional credit.
• RDI (Réseau Diffusion Insertion)minorOthersRDI (Réseau Diffusion Insertion) is listed as a partner of the Pépinière Carco, providing services related to integration and professional insertion through entrepreneurship.
• LYVE LyonminorOthersLYVE Lyon is listed as a partner organisation providing resources or services to entrepreneurs hosted at the Pépinière Carco.
• Positive PlanetminorOthersPositive Planet is an international NGO (formerly AFD/Positive Planet) focused on entrepreneurship and social impact. Listed as a partner, it provides support and resources for entrepreneurs at the Pépinière Carco.
• MLV Vaulx-en-Velin (Maison Lyonnaise de la Ville)minorOthersMLV Vaulx-en-Velin is listed as a local partner organisation connected to the incubator's ecosystem.
• Vaulx-en-Velin Entreprises (VVE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVVE (Vaulx-en-Velin Entreprises) is a local business association representing companies in Vaulx-en-Velin. The association is represented on the Board of Directors (Alain Villard as Treasurer) and provides networking opportunities between resident entrepreneurs and the broader local business community.
• Pépinière Coursive de Saint-FonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2001, a partnership between Pépinière Carco and the Coursive de Saint-Fons incubator has enabled joint collective training for all creators hosted at both facilities. This partnership is financed by the Rhône-Alpes Region under the PLACE programme and has been extended to all Rhône nurseries members of AURA PEP'S.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• France Active: France Active is a national solidarity-finance network supporting entrepreneurs, particularly those excluded from mainstream financing. As a partner of Carco (via ADIE-style pathways), it is thematically aligned on inclusive entrepreneurship support and provides comparable accompaniment-adjacent services.
• Réseau Entreprendre: Réseau Entreprendre is a national association of business leaders providing mentor-backed financing and accompaniment to French entrepreneurs. It serves a similar founder-accompanement mission but through a mentor-network model rather than physical workspace.

Direct peers

• La Cordée: La Cordée operates a chain of coworking and event spaces in the Lyon metropolitan area, including dedicated spaces for entrepreneurs. It competes directly with Carco's coworking and hébergement formulas for early-stage founders needing flexible Lyon-based workspace.
• Novacité: Novacité is a Lyon-based technology and life-sciences business incubator, hosted at Université de Lyon. It provides a comparable accompaniment-plus-workspace offering for early-stage innovative startups in the same metro area as Carco.
• H7 Lyon: H7 is a Lyon-based startup hub and incubator offering workspace, events, and support programmes for entrepreneurs. It targets a similar early-stage founder audience in the Lyon metropolitan area and represents the most direct comparable to Pépinière Carco in both geography and offering.

Regional players

• Euratechnologies: Euratechnologies is a major tech-business incubator and accelerator in Lille, focused on digital and tech startups. It is comparable to Carco in function (public-private incubator for early-stage companies) but operates in a different French region.
• CCI Lyon Métropole Saint-Étienne Roanne: The CCI is both a partner and a broader ecosystem actor running its own business-creation support programmes and creator spaces across the Lyon region. It overlaps with Carco's mission of supporting nascent entrepreneurs via chamber-of-commerce networks.

Broad incumbents

• Le Village by CA: Le Village by CA is a Crédit Agricole-funded network of startup campuses across France. It offers a similar incubator/co-working proposition with much larger corporate backing, broader visibility, and a national footprint — a key incumbent peer in the same category.
• Station F: Station F is the world's largest startup campus, located in Paris. While operating at vastly larger scale, it competes in the same category of physical startup incubation/acceleration and frames the upper bound of what an industrialised French incubator can offer.
• Bpifrance Le Hub: Bpifrance Le Hub is the public French development bank's startup and innovation platform, offering workspace, events, and acceleration programmes. It is a broad incumbent in the French business-incubation ecosystem with substantially larger resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/p%C3%A9pini%C3%A8re-d-entreprise-carco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pépinière d'entreprises Carco